Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Jason Kenny becomes most successful British Olympian; boxing and more on final day – live!
08-Aug-2021 05:06:56 | The Guardian
Boxing - After the first round Ferreira (BRA) is up 3-2 on the scorecard over Harrington (IRE).
U.S. will finish the Olympics with 66 medals in women's events, the most ever for any nation. And 41 medals in men's events, the U.S.' fewest since THE 1896 ATHENS GAMES. There are a record 339 medal events this year. In 1896, there were 43 medal events (all men). (Olympedia)
Boxing - Kellie Harrington (IRE) makes her way into the ring for the first of the day’s gold medal bouts. Beatriz Ferreira (BRA) awaits.
Women’s volleyball - The USA have taken the opening set against Brazil in their gold medal final 25-21.
Men’s water polo - Hungary and Spain are tied 3-3 at quarter-time in their bronze medal match.
Boxing: The first gold medal to be handed out today in the ring is for the women’s light (57-60kg) category. It features Ireland’s Kellie Anne Harrington against Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira.
Niall O’Keefe has emailed in offering Harrington his support.
“I doubt I will ever follow the sport but the kids in the skateboard and BMX competitions were seemingly having amazing fun as they did amazing things with their bodies. Maybe it was because they were too young to realize the Olympics are supposed to be life and death battles to the end but they seemed to take pleasure in watching their opponents do well. It was refreshing.” Agreed Mary Walz. I expect there were plenty of sceptics about such “youth” sports entering the Games, but they delivered in spades.
“And since I am an American with Norwegian roots the men’s 1500 race was exciting. The expression on the winner’s face was priceless.”
“Enjoyed most?” asks Ben Tuff: “Probably seeing my son get involved. After the horrible start times of the Euros, it has been great to have something he can watch in real time. He’s enjoyed a bit of everything although gets horribly conflicted about who to support when it is Team GB and China in the same event!”
First Games are great aren’t they? Mine was Seoul 88 and names like Heike Drechsler and Jackie Joyner-Kersee are embedded deep in my brain.
One thing I head the other day that really resonated was how at these Games the athletes seemed largely to have competed with one another, not against one another. It’s a subtle, but crucial difference, and I think will be one of my main takeaways. Camaraderie has prevailed over rivalry with competitors recognising the oddity of the situation and embracing a more universal spirit that perhaps previously. Clearly events like skateboarding have jollied this vibe along, but beyond that, there has been a level of warmth and grace I can’t recall.
“They said it would never happen but it was a miracle the Tokyo Olympics happened. As Al Michaels said do you believe in miracles? Yes we do.” Thanks Kurt Perleberg. Who knows what the various short-medium-long term implications will be for these Games, Tokyo, and Japan more broadly? And it remains debatable whether the Games should have gone ahead to begin with. But we can look back on a couple of weeks of stunning competition.
Michael Ireton has emailed his thoughts all the way from Canada. “Even though there are so many reasons to hate the Olympics as an institution (countless billions that should be spent on far more pressing matters, environmental impacts, IOC corruption, etc, etc) the people, the events, the stories, and the drama suck me in every time.
Highlights: As a Canadian, I have to be excited at Canada’s record medal total, but also Hassan doing the 1,500, 5,000, 10,000 triple, the men’s high jump, the Japanese brother and sister winning judo gold on the same day, the incredibly young skateboarders - and their joie de vivre and camaraderie, the women’s cycling road race being won by a math PhD in a solo breakaway (even if it was down to a lack of race radio and some confusion). That’s a few. I’m sure I’ve missed a lot!”
Not a lot left to go in Tokyo 2020, but still to come this afternoon we have:
Not bad...
These two legends have now won 5⃣ consecutive Olympic gold medals!
pic.twitter.com/lGhqhchhFx
Mudit Sharma kindly emailed me to let me know those two quick golds to the USA have put them back on top of the overall medal table ahead of China. Both superpowers have 38 golds, but the US lead the overall medal count 110 to 87.
Related: Tokyo 2020 Olympics: full medal table
A not unwelcome lull in proceedings. A chance to catch my breath and ask you to tell me what your highlights of the Games have been? Has it defied expectations? Was it worth it? Who or what caught your eye unexpectedly? Are you leaving with a dedication to following or learning a new sport? Send me your thoughts via email or tweet me.
The likeliest gold medal of the games has arrived. The USA have defeated Japan 90-75.
Gold to Bulgaria, silver ROC Nation, bronze Italy. Zero insight to offer, sorry.
Valente (USA) rode an excellent defensive race, recovering from her early fall to win from Kajihara (JPN) - who also survived a dismount - and Wild (NED). Laura Kenny (GBR) claimed a leading 24 points in the final race but had too much ground to make up, and finished sixth.
Women’s omnium - 10 laps to go. Everything has bunched up and slowed down following that 25 or so laps of frenetic chasing.
Valente (USA) leads from Kajihara (JPN) and Wild (NED). Dideriksen (DEN) down to fourth, Kenny (GBR) is still seventh.
Women’s omnium - 20 laps to go. Valente (USA) leads from Kajihara (JPN) and Dideriksen (DEN). Kenny (GBR) is up to seventh. It’s becoming very very scrappy and Valente, having fallen, is hanging on.
Women’s omnium -Laura Kenny (GBR) picks up another five points, and at the back of the peloton Jennifer Valente (USA) takes a tumble, colliding with a back marker! She’s back up on her bike but this sets up a wild closing 25 laps.
Women’s omnium - Amalie Dideriksen has made a huge burst, putting daylight between her bike and the peloton to hoover up a stack of points and climb from fifth into third. Kirsten Wild (NED) joins her eventually, dragging the rest of the field with her as the top four begins to bunch up with Jennifer Valente (USA) continuing to lead.
Women’s omnium - Laura Kenny (GBR) picks up the second lot of five points on offer. She’s in ninth, still a long way off bronze. Jennifer Valente (USA) continues to lead. Kirsten Wild (NED) is almost into the medals.
Gratuitous Jason Kenny appreciation post:
@JasonKenny107 our greatest Olympian
More medals and golds than any other British athlete in history.#TeamGB pic.twitter.com/rtbi9KjK9i
Women’s omnium - Jennifer Valente (USA) takes the first five sprint points on offer to strengthen her grip on gold. Kirsten Wild (NED) took second to add three points to her total and move up to fourth place.
Women’s omnium - This final race is an 80-lap, eight-sprint points race. There are opportunities for riders like Kenny to make up ground, especially later on in the race.
Women’s omnium - The final race of the women’s omnium is underway. The gold and silver look to be between Jennifer Valente (USA) and Yumi Kajihara (JPN). Laura Kenny (GBR) is a long shot for bronze.
Handball - Bronze for Norway’s women. They led throughout and hammered Sweden 36-19. It’s a seventh Olympic medal in eight appearances for Norway’s handball team.
Rhythmic Gymnastics - Bulgaria lead from ROC and Belarus after the first rotation in the final of the Group All-around.
Women’s basketball: The USA are over halfway through their quadrennial gold medal procession. Enjoy the last buckets over here...
Related: Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s basketball final: USA v Japan – live!
Water polo - Croatia have defeated USA 14-11 in the fifth-place schedule filler.
Wow! Jason Kenny, that is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. My neighbours are probably wondering why I was screaming in utter awe at that.
I’m delighted this performance hasn’t been lost to the graveyard shift back in the UK. That was a blistering race. Jason Kenny deserves every accolade for that bravery and his record breaking success. We might be well into the final day of competition at these Games, but that was one of the moments of the Olympics.
Men’s keirin - Seventh gold medal for Kenny.! Awang (MAS) takes silver, Lavreysen (NED) bronze. Glaetzer (AUS) came home fifth.
That was a standout moment of these Games for Team GB and Jason Kenny. Stunning, stunning, ride from a living legend. Most British golds in history (7), most medals in British history (9).
An unbelievable race from defending champion Jason Kenny earns him gold in the men's keirin at #Tokyo2020!
It's a SEVENTH career Olympic gold overall.@UCI_Track #CyclingTrack @TeamGB pic.twitter.com/0llNk2tFkQ
Jason Kenny sprints very very early - with three laps to go! HE HAS DEMOLISHED THE FIELD! What a race! Wow! that was spectacular. What a rider. What a family.
Men’s keirin - We’re into the gold medal race now. Defending champion Jason Kenny goes for Team GB, Matthew Glaetzer for Australia.
Handball - Norway are spanking Sweden in the women’s handball bronze medal match. They’re up 23-10 early in the second half.
Water polo - Croatia are up 11-8 over the USA into the final quarter of their battle for fifth place.
Kelsey Mitchell controlled that final from go to woah. She’s only been riding seriously for four years, now she’s an Olympic champion. Olena Starikova (UKR) has to settle for bronze.
Women’s sprint - Bronze for 34-year-old Wai Sze Lee (HKG). She defeated a pretty flat Emma Hinze (GER) who lacked pep in her final race after missing out on gold.
Women’s basketball: In the foregone conclusion stakes, the USA leading at QT would be pretty short odds.
Score update. We're up 9. #TokyoOlympics
End 1Q
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Related: Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s basketball final: USA v Japan – live!
Women’s omnium - Heading into the final points race Valente (USA) has the overall lead by two points from Yumi Kajihara (JPN). That pair are in a race of their own for gold. Laura Kenny (GBR) is down to ninth and a long shot for bronze.
Women’s omnium - Valente (USA) continues her superb omnium with her third strong result of the event, coming in fourth. Clara Copponi (FRA) held off Yumi Kajihara (JPN) in the final sprint.
Women’s omnium - And now Kenny’s gone! Huge upset for the British Olympic legend. It was tight on the line between her and Stenberg (NOR) but it went against Kenny, and her medal hopes have taken a huge hit. But only two laps later Wild (NED) is out. This is a crazy race. Jennifer Valente (USA) is sitting pretty in the race, and the overall.
Women’s omnium - Disaster for Annette Edmondson (AUS)! Second eliminated and her chances of a medal have been crushed. Such a strong opening race led to hopes of a medal, but two shockers have ended her dreams.
Women’s omnium - Back to the omnium, and leg three, the elimination race. This is where the rider at the back of the field is dropped until there are only two riders remaining.
Women’s sprint - Kelsey Mitchell (CAN) wins the first leg of the gold medal race against Olena Starikova (UKR). Wai Sze Lee (HKG) defeated Emma Hinze (GER) in the first race for Bronze.
Men’s keirin - The second semi was a cracker. Awang (MAS), Levy (GER), and Lavreysen (NED) are all through to the final where Kenny (GBR) and Glatezer (AUS) await.
Men’s keirin - Kenny (GBR) rode a superb race to nick the semi on the line. Glaetzer (AUS) defended his place well throughout to come second. Both progress into the final. Carlin (GBR) misses out in fourth.
Men’s keirin - Semi-final time for the men’s keirin. Up first we have Glaetzer (AUS), Carlin (GBR), and Kenny (GBR) gunning for a spot in the top three in a field of six.
Women’s basketball: The gold medal match between the USA and Japan tips off shortly. Follow all the action here:
Related: Tokyo 2020 Olympics women’s basketball final: USA v Japan – live!
Women’s sprint - Kelsey Mitchell (CAN) will race Olena Starikova (UKR) in the final of the women’s sprint. The Canadian defeated Emma Hinze (GER) in their decisive final semi-final race. The German moves on to take on Wai Sze Lee (HKG) in the bronze medal race.
Women’s omnium - Superb comeback from Laura Kenny (GBR)! After falling in the opening sprint race she rode superbly in the tempo to make up plenty of lost ground. She won the most sprint points (7) and was part of the leading group of seven that established lap points. She moves up to fifth overall, chasing Valente (USA) and Wild (NED). Edmondson has dropped back into the pack.
Women’s omnium - Seven riders, including Kenny (GBR), Wild (NED), and Valente (USA) have been awarded 20 lap points. Edmondson (AUS) was in the wrong group and will suffer greatly in the final classification.
Women’s omnium - Leading riders Kirsten Wild (NED) and Jennifer Valente (USA) are both hoovering up points.
Women’s omnium - Annette Edmondson (AUS) is also in the sprint points, backing up her strong finish in the first race.
Women’s omnium - Laura Kenny (GBR) is up and riding after her crash earlier, and she has collected a couple of early sprint points. Hopefully she’s not expending too much energy to disadvantage her later in the race.
Women’s omnium - the second event in the women’s omnium is underway. This is the 30-lap, 26-sprint tempo race.
Water polo - At the end of a gruelling competition, exactly what you want is a battle for seventh place that goes to penalties, isn’t it? Well, that’s what the men of Italy and Montenegro endured, with the Italians coming out on top 4-3 following a 14-14 draw.
USA take on Croatia for fifth, soon.
Women’s sprint - Starikova’s final opponent is yet to be decided. Mitchell (CAN) and Hinze (GER) are locked 1-1 with a deciding race to come.
Women’s sprint - Olena Starikova (UKR) has cruised into the gold medal race with a race to spare following a 2-0 semi-final victory over Wai Sze Lee (HKG).
Men’s keirin - Glaetzer (AUS) controlled the early stages of the third quarter-final from the front, but then he found himself boxed in as the attacks came from the outside, and did well to force his way into fourth position and qualify for the semis.
Men’s keirin - Another Team GB rider, Jack Carlin, is through to the semis.
Matthew Glaetzer (AUS) is up next.
Women’s basketball:
We go for gold in 1 hour.
NBC
10:30 PM ET pic.twitter.com/eITvMp6qAY
Men’s keirin - Kenny (GBR) is safely through to the semis but Richardson (AUS) finished fifth and is out. The Aussie found himself boxed in when the push came on the outside and he didn’t have enough time to make up the deficit.
Men’s keirin - Quarter-final time for the men’s keirin, and in the first heat we have Jason Kenny (GBR) husband of Laura in action, as well as Matthew Richardson (AUS).
Women’s omnium - Valente (USA) collected 40 points for winning the scratch race. The good news for Kenny (GBR) is because so many riders were collected in that huge stack she picks up 16 points despite a DNF. It’s still a lot of ground to make up, but it could have been much worse.
Volleyball - Serbia have destroyed South Korea 3-0 in the women’s bronze medal match. Brazil take on the USA for the gold medal in around three hours from now.
Women’s omnium - That was like watching ten-pin bowling. Bikes and riders strewn all over the track. About half the field went down.
Italian rider Elisa Balsamo caused the crash, bringing down several riders; Laura Kenny had nowhere to go but down on the track. Fell heavily on her right shoulder and then received medical attention. She got back on her bike but we don't know yet how much damage that has caused https://t.co/5bAQMFPjhi
Women’s omnium - Disaster for Laura Kenny in that first race. Firstly - let’s hope she’s ok (she appears to be). Secondly - let’s hope that doesn’t end any hopes she carries of another medal.
Big crash in the women's omnium, Laura Kenny came down seriously heavy there. Treated by medical staff at the finish line. She's sitting up and on the bike again. Even the track official taken down there. #CyclingTrack #Tokyo2020
Women’s omnium - Laura Kenny hit the front around 5 laps to go as the jostling began in earnest. Kirsten Wild, then Annette Edmondson, followed, then there were two separate crashes with bikes strewn all over the track!
Jennifer Valente (USA) timed her run to perfection, getting her wheel across the line first, Yumi Kajihara (JPN) second, Edmondson (AUS) third. Kenny was unfortunately caught up in the second of those stacks.
Women’s omnium - The first event in the women’s omnium is a 30-lap first past the post scratch race. At the halfway stage it’s a leisurely cruise, building up to a massive bunch sprint, no doubt.
Thank you very much Tom - see you in Paris.
Ok, one final leg for me in this epic Guardian Sport relay. My attention will begin in the velodrome where the women’s omnium is about to get underway. Team GB record breaker Laura Kenny goes for a seventh medal today, while Australia has interest in London bronze medalist Annette Edmondson, and the USA have team pursuit bronze medalist Jennifer Valente.
I’ll hand over to the capable hands of Jonathan Howcroft now. Thanks for reading during the Olympics and see you for Paris 2024 (sudden firing notwithstanding).
Indoor women’s volleyball: Serbia’s Tijana Bošković can hit serves as fast as 62mph. With that kind of weaponry at their disposal, it’s little wonder her team are now 2-0 up in sets after they won the second 25-15 against South Korea. They’re one set from a bronze medal.
Like photos of very fit people doing very impressive things but with excellent lighting and shot composition? Then why not peruse our gallery of the best images from Day 15:
Related: Tokyo Olympics 2020: day 15 – in pictures
Women’s indoor volleyball: It’s South Korea v Serbia for bronze. Serbia won the first set and are 4-2 up in the second. Serbia were silver medalists in 2016, so have some pedigree.
One striking thing from the end of the marathon was the (small) crowd on the streets of Sapporo cheering Kipchoge and Co home at the end of their heroic efforts (everyone I could see was wearing a mask). It was lovely to hear the athletes get the cheers they so richly deserve but there was also a melancholy at what could have been if this Games had taken place in Normal Times.
Men’s marathon: USA’s Galen Rupp, the 2016 bronze medalist, finishes in eighth. A great effort - and it also means the US men’s track team will finish without an individual gold for the first time since 1980.
Men’s marathon: Now an actual race is on for silver and bronze. The Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye sprints away for silver and Belgium’s Bashir Abdi stays with him for bronze. Lawrence Cherono looked like he was going to make it a Kenyan 1-2 but his legs betrayed him at the last.
What a race and what a champion. He’s just the third athlete to defend the men’s marathon title. He stayed with the pack for most of the race and then drifted off to the horizon when he wanted to – and no one was catching him. The heat was intense today but he doesn’t look in the least bit tired after a marvelous 26.2 miles. He wins by more than a minute over a field of the best runners in the world. His winning time is 2hr 8min 38sec. Wow.
Men’s marathon: We pass the two-hour mark and Kipchoge runs through the shady lanes of the Hokkaido University campus. He has 2km to go and his lead is up to 1min and 17 seconds.
Men’s marathon: Two miles to go. What a shame Kipchoge won’t be rewarded for this wonderful performance by the roar of a packed stadium. There are, at least, a scattering of cheers from the people of Sapporo as he glides through the streets.
Men’s marathon: Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono, Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, Spain’s Ayad Lamdassem and the Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye are still bunched tight in the chasing pack. I think there’s going to be a sprint for silver and bronze. Suguru Osako of Japan is making a move from behind though, and could maybe grab a medal.
Men’s marathon: I’m going to risk this and say Kipchoge is the nailed on champion. It’s maybe the least risky statement I have ever made. The 36-year-old is around 5km from becoming a double Olympic champion and looks very, very comfortable. The interesting part will be who finishes in silver and bronze.
Men’s marathon: 7km to go and Kipchoge’s lead is now 28 seconds ahead of the pack. He ran the last 5km in 14min and 28sec. The previous one was around 15 seconds. Yikes. The chasing pack now consists of Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono, Belgium’s Bashir Abdi and Spain’s Ayad Lamdassem. The Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye is a few seconds back from them and still in with a chance of a medal.
Men’s marathon: It must be so demoralising to run at this pace, in that heat and then just see Kipchoge accelerate off into the distance. He grabs some ice from the cooling station, dabs himself down and scampers away from his competition.
Men’s marathon: Eliud Kipchoge, the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion and all-around superhuman, has basically said: “Nah, let’s get this nonsense over with,” and accelerates away from the pack looking very comfortable. What a superb athlete. Everyone else looks like they are hurting. Kipchoge looks like he’s nipped out to get some bread (the shop must be very far away). His lead is 14 seconds and growing with 10km to go.
Men’s marathon: If you’re wondering how the Aussies/Brits/Kiwis/Canadians/Americans are doing (I’m just doing our biggest markets, we love all marathon runners) then here you go. At 18 miles, USA’s Galen Rupp has just dropped off the leading pack, NZ’s Zane Robertson is 19th around a minute off the leaders, Canada’s Ben Preisner is 50th, GB’s Callum Hawkins is 57th and Australia’s Liam Adams is 46th. There are other runners from each of those countries but they’re further back. Basically none of those runners will will gold.
Men’s marathon: For the first time since 1980 (and they didn’t participate then so had a good excuse) the US men’s track team has failed to win an individual Olympic gold (they did win in the 4x400m replay). Their last chance is in this race in the form of Galen Rupp. He’s in the leading pack but I’d be very surprised if he won a medal, let alone gold.
Men’s marathon: Brazil’s Daniel do Nascimento, who was at the front of the pack for a long time, stumbled and fell and looked like he was in trouble. But he’s got up and is running again. I hope he’s OK and isn’t ploughing on when he needs medical help. And he’s stopped again. The right decision to stop and medics quickly attend to him.
Men’s marathon: A reminder that the race is being run in Sapporo, 500 miles or so north of Tokyo to avoid the capital’s brutal heat. Current temperature in Sapporo: 26C. Current temperature in Tokyo: 24C. In fairness, weather is hard to predict (although the word on the street is the long-term trend is WARM). In other news, the New York Mets, are being destroyed by the Philadelphia Phillies. Again. What are we going to turn over to in disgust now the Olympics are (all but) over?
Men’s marathon: We’ve reached the halfway point and Stephen Mokoka of South Africa leads. But it’s a halfhearted-yeah-whatever kind of lead of two seconds and the pack soon gobble him up again. Still about 30 athletes within a few seconds of each other.
Hello! And bad news for fans of 24-hour liveblogs of quadrennial multi-sport events because it’s our last one of the Games. But the good news it’s the Summer Olympics again in three years! And the Winter Olympics in, maybe ... two months? I dunno, around then. I think the World Cup is next week.
Anyway, on to Day 16 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics! The marathon is currently being run, but here’s what else is on today courtesy of my colleague Martin Belam:
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